


glow-in-the-dark kind of love

by toomanycolors



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: 5+1 Things, Beverly Marsh & Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Beverly Marsh is a Good Friend, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier is Bad at Feelings, mike isn’t mentioned but he’s there okay??, more like 4+2 but, the first thing i’ve finished in months, theres literally angst for .5 seconds, they’re like 15 or 16, they’re so gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25796374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanycolors/pseuds/toomanycolors
Summary: five times richie hid in the dark and one time he didn’t have to
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 1
Kudos: 66





	glow-in-the-dark kind of love

** I. **

“Do you ever think about leaving?” Eddie says one night while looking out his window. Richie looks up from his comic, stretched out on his stomach with his legs in the air. “No, your bed is too comfy.” He replies and lets out a content sigh as he buries his face into Eddie’s galaxy blankets as if proving his point.

“No I mean,” Eddie turns from where he was looking out his open window - the same window Richie had climbed through just 20 minutes before. “Do you ever think about leaving Derry.”

It was more of a statement than a question.

“I think everyone has at some point. They’re just too scared.” Richie rolls onto his back, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars plastered on Eddie’s ceiling.

“Are you? Scared.” Eddie’s voice drops into a whisper, his head tilted to the side, eyes trained on the floor.

Richie debates on answering. Debates on if he should admit everything right then.

_ Yes, I’m scared shitless. I don’t want to grow up. I don’t want to leave you. I don’t want you to leave me. _

He settles for silence. Another sigh. He turns to Eddie, watches the dim orange light from his lamp dance on his face. Richie can sense his exhaustion and his gaze traces every harsh line and quivering shadow and he wants to reach out, smoothen everything with his fingertips. Mix a gentle chaos.

Eddie asks what he’s thinking about. Richie hadn’t even noticed they had locked eyes. He shrugs and starts to stand. Everything is dizzying and warm for a moment and then the chilly wind hits him and goosebumps bloom along his skin.

He slips on his shoes - a pair of beat up black converse.

“It’s late,” Richie says, sitting on the edge of the window. He turns to Eddie and can’t help the smile on his lips. “Sleep tight Spaghetti Man.” He leans over to ruffle Eddie’s hair, soft tufts of light brown slipping through his fingers.

Eddie laughs - pushes him out and into the cold night.

“Night Trashmouth.”

** II. **

Screams are heard from below. Richie’s legs dangle over the edge. He watches his friends splash in murky water. They’re at the Quarry, soaking in the last bit of summer they had left. Five heads bob among green waves and Richie wonders how long he could hold his breath.

Someone settles down beside him.

“Want one?” Beverly Marsh - a young girl nothing short of an angel - holds out a cigarette. He nods and takes it, settles it between his lips. She strikes her lighter.

He inhales, slow and deep.

“They’re waiting for you.” She says, leaning back onto the palms of her hands.

He exhales - waves her off with the flick of his wrist.

They fall into a soft silence. The sunlight warms his skin and smoke clouds his senses. He takes another hit, faster this time. The smell burns his nostrils, stings his throat - and then he exhales and it’s like everything is softer around the edges. Slightly out of focus.

“Stop being a dick and jump with me.”

Richie lets out an airy laugh, burning out his cigarette in the sand. Beverly stands. Her cheeks are sunburned and her hair shimmers in the light. She holds out a delicate hand for him. He takes it.

He can see Eddie staring back up at him. He’s laughing, motioning for them to jump down. Richie grins, holding onto Beverly’s hand tighter now. She squeezes back.

She steps off, pulling him with her.

As they’re falling down, Richie’s stomach erupts in butterflies and laughter bubbles up to his lips and floats out into the open air. He hits the water with a deafening splash. Icy liquid seeps up his nose and in his ears and he wishes to sink all the way down to the bottom, let the darkness swallow him whole.

He surfaces, just for a moment.

Eddie is there, smiling at him, and he thinks he would jump off a thousand cliffs for that smile.

** III. **

Richie runs out into the smoky lavender sky, rain falling rapidly onto his jacket. He stretches out his arms, turns his face to the sky, and laughs. Water soaks his hair and neck, making him shiver.

He bounds into the empty street, splashes in a puddle. Turning to Eddie, he laughs. Eddie leans over the railing of his porch. There’s a subconscious smile on his lips.

Richie stands there, his glasses tickled with raindrops and hair soaking wet. He holds out a hand, even though Eddie is many feet away.

Eddie tilts his head questioningly.

“Dance with me.” He shouts over the loud pattering of water hitting his jacket.

Eddie scoffs, not moving from his spot. “You’re serious? Richie I’m not fucking dancing in the rain with you.”

Richie almost drops his hand, letting out a hurt breath. “Why not?”

“ Why not ? Number one, I’m not getting wet, number two, you can’t even dance.” Eddie exclaims, as if his reasoning is the most simple thing in the world. And maybe it is, but Richie _really_ wants to dance in the rain with him.

“Cmon Eds, live a little!” Eddie scoffs at the nickname. Richie spins around a few times, laughing. “Look, it’s fun!”

Eddie sighs, fake annoyance. He smiles.

He walks forward a few steps and bows dramatically, taking Richie’s outstretched hand. They spin together.

Raindrops fall onto Eddie’s exposed face, and Richie watches them race down his pink cheeks and disappear underneath his jacket. He watches Eddie giggle, gets lost in thought. They stop spinning and lock eyes. He ducks his head, cheeks flushed, smitten.

Richie is suddenly aware of Eddie’s hand in his own. His skin is warm, soft fingertips tickling his palm.

They arrive beneath the light of a lamppost - a spotlight - twirling and giggling. Richie imitates a cheering crowd.

The once cotton candy colored sky is now a deep ocean blue, and the rain has died down quite a bit, making it seem as though the stars were sprinkling down around them.

They smile at each other.

Richie’s hair is soaked and water drips off the tips of his curls and rolls off his jacket. Eddie laughs again, turning his face to the stars and closing his eyes.

Richie thinks he could get drunk like this, off of Eddie.

Eddie looks at him again and exhales softly. He inches closer. Their foreheads rest against each other’s, breathing in harmony. Richie is on fire.

Lightning flows through his bloodstream and he wants nothing more than to turn away and hide.

“I really like you.” Eddie murmurs and it’s all too real and too warm and Richie doesn’t think he knows how to be so gentle, so tender. He breaks away and looks at his feet, ashamed. 

Eddie lets out a small breath and steps away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He leaves, swift and silent.

Richie watches Eddie’s room flash yellow. He draws his curtains.

Richie stays for a few minutes, watching. He doesn’t know what he’s waiting for. His face stings as the cold ran hits his burning cheeks.

He turns away, escapes the spotlight and into the night.

** IV. **

They’re distant. Passing glances and quick touches shared in crowded halls. Sometimes Richie forgets. He hooks an arm around Eddie while walking out of school and the latter jumps back, as if Richie set fire to his skin, burned with just a touch.

The others have noticed.

It’s a late night and the losers are all stuffed in Bill’s basement. Ben is sorting through movies with Bill. They’re arguing. Richie sits on the far right end of the couch, splayed out with his legs in Stans lap.

Eddie is on the other end. He’s quiet, distant. They don’t look at each other.

Everyone settles on a random horror movie that Richie doesn’t know the name of. He wasn’t paying attention.

He wonders if it’s a trick of light or if Eddie is really staring at him. He doesn’t think he wants to find out.

Someone blocks his view. He looks up, takes Beverly’s outstretched hand, and allows her to lead him outside. He can feel a pair of eyes watch him as they go.

Beverly doesn’t say anything when they step out into the chilly September air. She doesn’t say anything when she hands him a cigarette and lights it. Richie wonders aloud why she brought him here.

“What, I can’t smoke with my best friend without a reason now?” Her voice is bitter, off-putting. Richie looks up at the sky. The stars are dim. He wonders if they always looked like that, and if Eddie somehow made them brighter.

“I fucked up.” He answers Beverly’s unvoiced question. “Chickened out.”

She asks why. He wishes he had a better answer than “I’m scared.” She places a hand on his back - grounding. Never one with words, Miss Marsh. She presses against him, all the words she can’t seem to say translated into touch.

_ It’s braver to admit your fears than to pretend they don’t exist. _

Richie rubs his eyes and he can’t tell if it’s because of exhaustion or the smoke. He looks up into the night sky and wants to fall to his knees in surrender. Admit his defeat. He leans into Beverly’s touch, composes himself just enough.

He exhales slowly.

They go back inside.

For the rest of the movie, he feels Eddie’s eyes on him.

He doesn’t look back.

** V. **

A soft thud echoes through a quiet night. The town sleeps silently, and Richie feels like he’s the only one awake. He throws another rock at the window. Another thud.

The room floods with a familiar yellow light. The window slides open.

Richie stands there, heart racing. When Eddie’s head pokes out, he can’t help but smile. “You got any room for one more?”

Eddie stays silent. Richie can’t make out the details of his face (he wishes he could). He nods, and Richie climbs up the tree and through the window. He stands by the opening, watching Eddie rearrange trinkets on his shelf. It’s a meaningless action, just something to distract him. They don’t say anything for a moment, Richie thinks it feels like eternity.

“I came here to talk.” He breaks the silence. Eddie freezes.

“Talk about what?” His voice is barely above a whisper.

“Us,” is all he can come up with. Eddie turns, and Richie realizes just how far away they are from each other. He takes a step forward.

Eddie backs away.

“I don’t think there’s anything to talk about.” He says, trains his eyes on the floor like he always does.

_ Look at me,  _ Richie wants to scream _._ _ Why won’t you look at me? _

Something snaps.

“Why are you acting like this?” His own words are unfamiliar against his tongue. Eddie looks up, face twisted into something heartbreaking. “God Richie, you’re so-  _ you  _ sometimes.” Eddie snaps back.

“You say all these things and do all this stuff and I think that maybe you feel the same way and then you-,” Eddie throws his hands into the air, holding back something more - biting his tongue.

Everything goes silent, and suddenly Richie wants to run. Run out the door and into the street and scream until his throat is raw - he wants to wake up the whole neighborhood.

Then, it’s Eddie’s voice, broken and defeated. “I’m in love with you, man. And I can’t tell if you love me too or if you’re that fucking oblivious.”

Richie goes numb, and he feels like he’s back at the Quarry, sinking all the way down to the bottom. This is how it ends, he’s thrashing and screaming and suddenly he doesn’t want to stay in the dark anymore.

And then he’s resurfaced, because Eddie’s lips are pressed against his and all he can do is melt. A hand reaching down into the water and pulling him back up. He wraps his arms around Eddie’s waist and his skin is on fire.

They break away and Richie gasps for air and all he can think of is  _Eddie Eddie Eddie_.

They press their foreheads together and their noses brush and the only thing Richie can say is “I love you too.”

They fall asleep wrapped around each other, and Eddie’s glow-in-the-dark stars seem to smile down on them.

** VI. **

The sun filters through whispering trees, rays of light dripping onto soft grass and rolling hills.

“Remember when you asked me if I would ever leave Derry?” Richie asks, and Eddie nods as if he’s paying attention.

“I think I would,” he pauses, running his fingers through Eddie’s hair. “As long as you came with me.” He nods again, a soft smile dancing on his lips.

They’re sitting under a lemon tree, Eddie’s head in Richie’s lap. They drink in the sweet warmth of the day. It hadn’t been this nice outside since June. Eddie is dozing off now, only giving small nods or hums of agreement when Richie asks a question. Richie traces his face with his fingers, feather light touches. He starts to count each freckle. Eddie giggles and he’s lost count.

Richie feels like he should be mad that Eddie is drifting off, not listening to him. But all he can do is appreciate it, appreciate him in secret, whisper all the things he wants to say and not be burdened with the outcome. 

He doesn’t have to move fast, not yet. He would rather take all his time tracing every line and freckle and imperfection, smoothen it out with his fingertips. Mix a gentle chaos.

So he does, because he’s allowed to, because he’s not afraid anymore.

He presses a soft kiss to Eddie’s temple, and rests his head back, bathing in the sticky sweetness of the afternoon.

Richie steps out of the dark and into the light, vibrant.

The world doesn’t crash down around him. When he opens his eyes, he’s right there: under the lemon tree, Eddie’s head in his lap, and everything is okay.

**Author's Note:**

> hi so this is a little out of my comfort zone but it struck me and i Had to write it so here you go i’m sensitive plz be nice


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